In the past, motorists have used a variety of devices and techniques for indicating distress and caution to other drivers. Typically, a white piece of cloth would be tied to the radio or telephone antenna, the hood would be raised, flares would be lit, or some combination of the above would be attempted. These devices were often ineffective at obtaining assistance, either because passing motorists did not know what they meant or did not see them. Furthermore, they all required the motorist in distress to get out of the car, thereby increasing the danger inherent in a highway emergency and/or vehicle breakdown.
The closest prior art known to the applicant are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,062,139 to Klosel, 4,609,133 to Anderson and 3,903,629 to Gruna. The Klosel patent discloses a vehicle distress sign comprising a pair of boards pivotally connected at a flexible junction. Information sheets are also attached at this junction, which is formed by a spiral support or clamp. The boards and sheets may be folded together into a compact structure for storage. In use, the boards are disposed in an inverted V-shaped formation and are held in position by a strap. The assembled sign is held on top of the distressed vehicle by a magnet in the strap. The Anderson patent discloses a collapsible sign frame which includes a bracket mountable on a car window. The window may be elevated to sandwich the upper edge of the bracket between the window and its socket. The sign itself projects above the top of the car. The Gruna patent discloses a vehicle emergency sign provided with a flexible strap which can be gripped between a car window and the window frame, with the sign body suspended therebelow.
There are certain disadvantages to the vehicle signs disclosed in these patents. The Klosel sign is relatively complex in construction. The Anderson sign is both complex in construction and cumbersome. The Gruna device would tend to wave in the wind and would be difficult to read.
Thus, the present inventor was faced with the problems of devising a highway distress sign which is relatively compact and inexpensive, capable of displaying multiple messages, readily attachable to and detachable from the vehicle without requiring the operator to emerge therefrom, held securely in position when in use, and visible to traffic traveling in opposite directions.